Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-2017-512
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-2017-512
02 Jan 2018
 | 02 Jan 2018
Status: this discussion paper is a preprint. It has been under review for the journal Biogeosciences (BG). The manuscript was not accepted for further review after discussion.

Deriving Photosynthetically Active Radiation at ground level in cloud-free conditions from Copernicus Atmospheric Monitoring Service (CAMS) products

William Wandji Nyamsi, Phillipe Blanc, John A. Augustine, Antti Arola, and Lucien Wald

Abstract. A method is described that estimates the photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) at ground level in cloud-free conditions. It uses a fast approximation of the libRadtran radiative transfer numerical model, known as the k-distribution method and the correlated-k approximation of Kato et al. (1999). LibRadtran provides irradiances aggregated over several fixed spectral bands and a spectral resampling is proposed followed by an aggregation in the range [400, 700] nm. The Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) produces daily estimates of the aerosol properties, and total column contents in water vapor and ozone that are input to the method. A comparison of the results is performed against instantaneous measurements of global Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density (PPFD) on a horizontal plane made in cloud-free conditions at seven sites of the Surface Radiation network (SURFRAD) in the USA in various climates. The bias ranges between −12 µmol m−2 s−1 (−1 % of the mean value at Desert Rock) and +61 µmol m−2 s−1 (+5 % at Penn. State Univ). The root mean square error ranges from 37 µmol m−2 s−1 (3 %) to 82 µmol m−2 s−1 (6 %). The coefficient of determination R2 ranges between 0.97 and 0.99. This work demonstrates the quality of the proposed method combined with the CAMS products.

Publisher's note: Copernicus Publications remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims made in the text, published maps, institutional affiliations, or any other geographical representation in this preprint. The responsibility to include appropriate place names lies with the authors.
William Wandji Nyamsi, Phillipe Blanc, John A. Augustine, Antti Arola, and Lucien Wald
 
Status: closed
Status: closed
AC: Author comment | RC: Referee comment | SC: Short comment | EC: Editor comment
Printer-friendly Version - Printer-friendly version Supplement - Supplement
 
Status: closed
Status: closed
AC: Author comment | RC: Referee comment | SC: Short comment | EC: Editor comment
Printer-friendly Version - Printer-friendly version Supplement - Supplement
William Wandji Nyamsi, Phillipe Blanc, John A. Augustine, Antti Arola, and Lucien Wald
William Wandji Nyamsi, Phillipe Blanc, John A. Augustine, Antti Arola, and Lucien Wald

Viewed

Total article views: 1,733 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
HTML PDF XML Total BibTeX EndNote
1,120 543 70 1,733 71 71
  • HTML: 1,120
  • PDF: 543
  • XML: 70
  • Total: 1,733
  • BibTeX: 71
  • EndNote: 71
Views and downloads (calculated since 02 Jan 2018)
Cumulative views and downloads (calculated since 02 Jan 2018)

Viewed (geographical distribution)

Total article views: 1,648 (including HTML, PDF, and XML) Thereof 1,609 with geography defined and 39 with unknown origin.
Country # Views %
  • 1
1
 
 
 
 

Cited

Latest update: 12 Nov 2024
Download
Short summary
This paper proposes a new, fast and accurate method for estimating photosynthetically active radiation at ground level in cloud-free conditions at any place and time. The method performs very well with the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service products as inputs describing the state of the atmosphere. An accuracy that is close to the uncertainty of the measurements themselves is reached. We believe that our research will be widely used in the near future.
Altmetrics